Electric-fixture switch



June 30, A1925.

1,543,806 D. N. THOMPSON ELECTRIC FIXTURE SWITCH Filed July 5, 192.3

.257'-4 22 @figg/,6 /f/ Patented June. 30, 1925.

"1 F F l Q E DON N. THOMPSON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-FIXTURE SVJITCH.

Applicationv filed July 5, 1923. Serial No. 649,733.

To all whom it may conce/m.'

Be it known that I, DON N. TrroMrsoN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Syracuse, Onondaga County, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Fixture Switches, et which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to electric switches and particularly to improvements in the type oi switches illustrated and described in Letters Patent No. 1,295,563 dated February25, 1919. The Vinvention. relates more particularly to devices :torimparting .a quick make and break in the circuit passing through such switches, and it is illustrated in connection with a base adapted to be secured to a ceiling and to carry any desired type of iixture.

In the'V accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an outside view ofthe device secured to a ceiling;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view or the insu lating'base with the cap removed;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the disk carrying the movable contacts removed;

Fig. 4 isa section on the line L -i of Figure2;

Fig. 5 illustrates in perspective three of the parts which accomplish the quick make and break in the circuit;

Fig. 6 is a section on the Figure 2; and i Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 oit Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing 10 indicates an insulating base, 11 a canopy or brass shell and 12 a depending tube connected to the canopy and adapted to serve as a conduit for the wires leading to the electric fixture. The switch mechanism is located in a cavity 13 in the base, which cavity is partly closed by a cap of insulating material 111 secured to the base by suitable screws. Located in the cavity 13 is a guide frame 15 in which operates two opposed spring actuated slides 16. The. slides have stems 17 which operate in perforations V18 in upturned ends of the guide frame and they are also provided with pairs of shoulders 19 which ride under pairs of guide arms 20. On each slide there is mounted an anti-friction roller 21 for a purpose to be presently explained. The. slides and rollers are urged toward each other by springs 22 surrounding the stems 17.

A disk 23 of insulating material has seline 6-6 ot disk 23 and the ratchet wheel 26 is secured to the lower face ot the disk.

rIhe disk 23 is turned intermittently by means oit a lever 27 having a toothvor teeth which engages the ratchet wheel and moves it forward substantially 90 each time the lever is pulled. The lever 27 is preferably operated by a cord 28 in the usual manner. rIhe parts described are mounted upon a pivot pin 29 which has its upper bearing in the base 10 and its lower bearing in an angular nut 30 which is surrounded by coiled spring 31. The upper end of the spring engages the lever 27 to turn it to its normal position as shown in Figure 2 and the lower end of the spring is passed lthrough an aperture in a corner of the nut 30. The nut 30 is seated in an angular socket in the cap 14 and provided with a slot to receive a screw driver by means of which any desired tension can be imparted to the spring 31 in a well known manner.

The line wires are connected to ixed contacts 32 by means oi' binding screws 33. The contacts 32 have upwardly turned wings 34 upon which the upper side of the disk 23 bears. In alternate positions of the disk the contact plates 25 rest on the terminals 32 and in the intermediate positions or' the disk its insulating surface rests on these contacts. When the contacts 25 rest on the terminals 32 the current passes through the strips or plates 25 from the upper to the lower side oi' the disk and the current then passes to brushes 36 carried by the cap 111. These brushes are connected electrically to wire terminals 37 on the under side of the cap, as shown more in detail in Patent No. 1,295,563.

I/Vhen the operating lever 27 is in its normal position as shown in Figure 2, the friction rollers 21 bear against opposite fiat faces of the block 24. When the lever is pulled the ratchet tooth 38 on the lever engages the ratchet plate 26 on the disk and turns the disk through a quarter revolution causing the rollers 2l to ride up over oppositecorners of the disk. As soon as the rollers pass the corners the pressure of the springs 22 causes the disk to rotate rapidly kuntil it comes to rest with the rollers pressing upon the flat sides of the block. This causes a quick make or break of the circuit according to the position of the disk. The disk is pressed against the terminals 32 by the spring contacts 36 and also by the spring 3l. It will be noted that the action ot' the switch is such as to Yproduce a quick make and break at two points in the circuit, which is a desirable feature.

Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

l. In an electric switch, the combination with a disk having electrical contacts and means for impartingan intermittent rotation to said disk, of -a square hub connected to the disk and oppositely disposed spring impelled rollers bearing upon the hub, radial slides upon which the rollers are mounted and fixed guides for said slides.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating base having a transverse recess, a guide frame in said recess, two slides in said guide traine, rollers on said slides, springs between said guide and slides impelling said slides toward each other, and a rotatable switch device having a square hub arranged between the rollers, whereby a quick make and break action is given to the switch device.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating base having a transverse recess, a guide Jframe in said recess, two slides longitudinally arranged in said guide frame, rollers on said slides, springs impelling said slides toward each other, and a rotatable switch device having a square hub arranged between the rollers, whereby a quick make and break action is given to the switch device.

Je. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating base having a transverse recess, a guide frame in said recess, two slides longitudinally arranged in said guide frame, rollers on said slides, springs between said said guide and slidesfimpelling said slides toward each other, and a rotatable switch device having a square hub arranged between the rollers, whereby a quick make and break action is given to the switch device. i

5. Ina-n electric switch, the combination o1q an insulating base having a transverse recess, a guide frame in said recess, two oppositely disposed slides in said guide frame, rollers atV the facing ends of said slides, a spring surroundinga portion of each slide and impelling said slides toward each other, and a rotatable switch device having a squire hub arranged between said rollers, whereby a quick make and brake action is given to the switch device.

6. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating base having a transverse recess therein, a one piece guide frame loosely mounted in said recess, two oppositely disposed slides in said guide frame, rollers on the facing ends of said slides, a tail piece on each slide, coil springs on said tail pieces adapted to bias said rollers toward each other, and a rotatable switch device having a square hub arranged between said rollers whereby a quick make and break action is ,given to the switch device.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

DON N. THOMPSON. 

